FIA Plans V8 Engines for F1 by 2030 or 2031

MIAMI, May 3 - Formula One's governing body plans to replace its current V6 hybrid engines with V8 power units as early as 2030, or by 2031 at the latest, FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem said Friday at the Miami Grand Prix.

Speaking from his office overlooking Hard Rock Stadium, the Emirati leader described the shift as inevitable. "It's coming. Oh yes, it is coming. At the end of the day, it's a matter of time," Ben Sulayem told reporters. He targets 2030 implementation, one year ahead of the current regulations' maturity date, but noted the FIA gains unilateral authority in 2031 without needing votes from the six power unit manufacturers, or PUMs: Mercedes, Ferrari, Red Bull Powertrains with Ford, Honda, Audi and General Motors for Cadillac.

The announcement comes amid criticism of the 2026 engine rules, which feature a roughly 50-50 split between electrical and combustion power on fully sustainable fuel. Drivers have highlighted safety risks, including high closing speeds and the need to lift-and-coast into corners for battery recharging, as seen in Haas driver Ollie Bearman's 50G crash at Suzuka. Terms like "superclipping" and megajoule limits for energy harvesting have...